Red River Gorge

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Trail Distance:34 miles

Time Estimate:13 hr 40 min+

Elevation Gain:400 feet

Leash Rule:On Leash

Difficulty:Hard

Parking:
$3

Route Type:Out-and-back

Restroom:Yes

Description

When you enter the Red River Gorge Trail, you'll find one of the most geological abundant places in the world, an area that houses the highest concentration of petroglyphs. Whether you're there to look at the natural cliff face, or one of the many cliff houses, you and Fido will find an exciting and enduring hike that will leave you breathless in more ways than one.

Most of the trail resides near the Red River Gorge, a 29,000 acre historical place that's in the Daniel Boone National Forest. There's a number of entrances and exits along the way, but the best place to start your hike is at the Sky Bridge Parking Area. Not only will you find an abundance of amenities like restrooms, water fountains, concessions, and trash bins, but also amazing views of the surrounding river and cliffside. The area is also home to the rock sky bridge, a natural rock bridge that extends 500 feet over a small gorge. If you want to get hiking right away though, the entrance of the Red River Gorge Trail starts on the northern side of the parking lot, beginning at a small concrete path.

The path will soon turn into a smaller, natural trail made from compacted earth and stays only about 2 feet wide. For the most part, the trail follows along Red River, showcasing where the river has cut deep into the rock. Throughout the area, hikers will find natural wonders like Creation Falls, Rock Bridge, Courthouse Rock, and Nada Tunnel, a manmade tunnel used for mining in the 1800s.

The trail itself has some steep inclines, with boulders that will need to be climbed over, but otherwise stays even and relaxed. Primitive hiking is allowed on the trail, as long as campers stay 100 feet away from cliffs and cliff houses. The trail ends at Red River Gorge Campground, a gorgeous open area campground surrounded by mountains to the south, which offers water and restrooms for hikers to use after their long hike.

The gorgeous natural rock formations bring hundreds to thousands of people a year to hike, and no doubt will bring you and Fido back onto the Red River Gorge Trail.

Wild animals like bears and wolves can come onto the trail, so watch out and listen carefully for signs. The park is open year round, but ice and snow build-up in the winter months make it dangerous to hike.